Famous words spoken by W. C. Fields, the vaudeville comedian, who was known for his "tramp juggler" act complete with a glass of whiskey!
By now, I'm sure you know that all all bourbon is whiskey but not all whiskey is bourbon. In order to be classified as bourbon, these five things must be true:
the mash bill (recipe) must be at least 51% corn;
bourbon cannot be distilled at higher than 160 proof;
bourbon must be stored in a brand-new charred, white oak container at no more than 125 proof;
bourbon has to be bottled at a minimum of 80 proof;
bourbon has to be a product of the United States.
Bourbon falls into three categories: traditional, wheated, and high rye. Some names you might recognize, respectively, may be Wild Turkey which is made with the traditional recipe of 75%-80% corn and the rest is made of rye,
Maker's Mark which is considered wheated where the rye is replaced with wheat in the mash bill, and Bulleit in which corn is only about 66% of the mash bill with rye being the rest.
Finally, bourbons have varied flavor maps of spice, sweet, savory, fruity, or earthy as the most recognized. Some bourbons are quite simple in taste and others much more complex. Generally, the more intense the bourbon is, the higher the quality.
Our first pairing on the 7th of September will be limited to 12 participants and sign-ups will begin at 4 today. Our dinners on the 9th of September will also be limited to 12 participants and sign-ups will begin at 5:00 today. We hope to raise a glass with you soon!